The BreadCast

(1Kgs.18:41-46; Ps.65:2,10-13; Mt.5:20-26) "You have visited the land and watered it; greatly have you enriched it." "There is the sound of a heavy rain." The Lord is speaking. The Lord is teaching. Jesus is revealing the strait path of holiness that leads to the Father, and His words and His Person come like a fruitful rain upon a drought-stricken land. O Lord, "thus have you prepared the land: d...

(1Kgs.18:20-39; Ps.16:1-2,4-5,8,11; Mt.5:17-19) "If the Lord is God, follow Him; if Baal, follow him." Today "the only surviving prophet of the Lord" comes to reveal to the people that "the Lord is God!" Elijah seeks to open the Israelites' eyes to the presence of God, to bring them "back to their senses." And how evident it becomes that "they multiply their sorrows who court other gods," and that...

O harp of the Holy Spirit whose song rose up to Jesus and in honor of the Virgin Mary, whose heart was set on Heaven and the eternal light therein, and who served so well to defend the faith when from contemplation you came – pray we too shall have a song dedicated wholly to the Lord welling up in hearts set on His presence, on the kingdom that passes not away; and pray, too, the teaching of the C...

(1Kgs.17:7-16; Ps.4:2-5,7-8; Mt.5:13-16) "The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth." Again today we see in our readings that the Lord provides for His children's needs, that indeed He is with us until the end of the age – yes, "the Lord does wonders for His faithful one." As "the brook where Elijah was hiding ran dry," t...

(1Kgs.17:1-6; Ps.121:1-8; Mt.5:1-12) "My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." It is He whom we seek when we "lift up [our] eyes toward the mountains." And what do we find but that "the Lord is [our] guardian; the Lord is [our] shade; He is beside [us] at [our] right hand." Does the Lord not watch over those who trust in Him? Take Elijah for your example. He is led into exile under th...

(Dt.8:2-3,14b-16a; Ps.147:12-15,19-20; 1Cor.10:16-17; Jn.6:51-58) "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever." "Not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord." And here is the Word standing before our eyes. Here is the Bread that gives us life. Here is Jesus Christ, in this Blessed Sacrament, nouris...

O preacher of the Word of God and model of the Gospel, you embraced poverty and penance in accord with the way of Christ and His teaching and called your brothers to do the same, that the Church might be renewed, that she might be holy even as the Father is holy – pray all souls might indeed find holiness of life even as within cloister walls; pray all might embrace the poverty of Christ, living t...

(2Tm.4:1-8; Ps.71:8-9,14-17,22; Mk.12:38-44) "Put up with hardship, perform your work as an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." In final words to his blessed disciple, Paul exhorts Timothy with all the strength he is able to muster "to preach the word, to stay with this task whether convenient or inconvenient – correcting, reproving, appealing – constantly teaching and never losing patience." He e...

O apostle of the faith called out from monastery walls to travel into the world, laboring and suffering even to the shedding of blood as you steered Christ's ship pounded by waves but kept on course, spreading out upon the face of the earth by the sacrifice of shepherds like yourself – pray the bishops of today will unceasingly teach the faith, defending the Church from all assaults, never silent...

(2Tm.3:10-17; Ps.119:157,160-161,165-166,168; Mk.12:35-37) "Princes persecute me without cause but my heart stands in awe of your word." The Word of God and persecution are our topics for today. On the one hand, Paul tells Timothy, "All Scripture is inspired of God and is useful for teaching," and Jesus uses a passage of Scripture (Psalm 110) to refute His persecutors and verify that the Son of Go...

(2Tm.2:8-15; Ps.25:4-5,8-10,14; Mk.12:28-34) "Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior." Brothers and sisters, "Remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, was raised from the dead." He is our Lord. He is our God. He is our Savior who speaks only truth. Listen to Him and walk in His way, "following a straight course in preaching the truth." After Jesus proclaims the gr...

O modern martyrs for Christ who gave your lives even as the early Christians, under torture by the emperor, who remained steadfast as these despite sword or fire come by the power of the king… a new age indeed you ushered in, one of mighty suffering, a time for the blood to mount up on this earth – pray, brothers in the faith, that your sacrifice not be in vain, that we shall join you in loyal ser...

(2Tm.1:1-3,6-12; Ps.123:1-2; Mk.12:18-27) "He has robbed death of its power and has brought life and immortality into clear light through the Gospel." It is this Gospel which Paul exhorts his "dear child" Timothy to serve, to preach and to teach "with the strength which comes from God, bear[ing] [his] share of the hardship which the Gospel entails." Paul has suffered for the sake of the Gospel – a...

O blessed martyrs for the Lord, in your catacombs the faith flourished, upon your tomb the Church was built… your blood is the seed planted in the ground that has caused the growth of the tree of life; joining in the sacrifice of Christ, His great joy you knew – pray that such grace will be known to us this day, that we will give ourselves in faith to the Holy One by whom we are saved and so find...

(2Pt.3:12-15,17-18; Ps.90:2-4,10,14,16; Mk.12:13-17) "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's but give to God what is God's." "Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent after Jesus to catch Him in His speech." These "two groups" seem to come one from God and the other from Caesar. But their devious plotting shows the only party present of God is Jesus Himself. And to whom do we belong? Peter makes it abundan...

O prophet of the Lord who spoke in His defense even before the bench of death, who professed the wisdom of the Cross over the intelligence of our race and all the ideas it could conceive, who chose true worship of the One God even over life itself and taught us also His way in His Church – pray we shall merit with you the name of Christian, the name above every other name, upon our lips and hearts...

(2Pt.1:2-7; Ps.91:1-2,14-16; Mk.12:1-12) "I will deliver him and glorify him; with length of life I will gratify him and will show him my salvation." So the Lord speaks of us through prophecy of His only Son. So the Lord seeks to accomplish in everyone who "acknowledges [His] name." So indeed He has sent "the Son whom He loved" for our salvation. So He prays with Peter, the Rock of His Church, "Ma...

O Mother of our Lord, who are we that you should visit us? Over hills you came to see your cousin Elizabeth and the child she conceived so miraculously; to her you brought the Child who brings us all salvation. Yes, to us all you bring Jesus… all holy souls you visit with His grace. John the Baptist proclaims this Savior whom he has known first in your voice, and all hearts leap up at your approac...

(Ex.34:4b-6,8-9; Dn.3:52-56; 2Cor.13:11-13; Jn.3:16-18) "The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity." "Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; and blessed is your holy and glorious name." Brothers and sisters, let us praise God this holy day; let us rejoice in His love. Let us be as Moses, wh...

(Jd.17,20-25; Ps.63:2-6; Mk.11:27-33) "Welcome the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ which leads to eternal life." "As [Jesus] was walking in the temple precincts the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached Him." They come to Him who is the true Temple here in the place where He teaches, but they do not come "praying in the Holy Spirit" or "persever[ing] in God's love." Their questions...

O lover of the Church for whom you offered your life, defending the saving truths of the faith against the evil tide engulfing humanity, proclaiming the Gospel of Christ and the light of the Lord to the ends of a desolate world drowning in a thousand false notions of love as man makes himself God and so knows only emptiness inside – pray that we will extricate ourselves from the embrace of the cul...

(1Pt.4:7-13; Ps.96:10-13; Mk.11:11-26) "The consummation of all is close at hand. Therefore, do not be perturbed; remain calm so that you will be able to pray." As at the time Jesus walks the earth the end of the Israelite nation is at hand – a consummation signified in "the fig tree withered to its roots" at His command, a consummation that will be fulfilled in the crucifixion of the Messiah but...

(1Pt.2:2-5,9-12; Ps.100:2-5; Mk.10:46-52) "Be as eager for milk as newborn babies – pure milk of the Spirit to make you grow unto salvation." Does not the "blind beggar Bartimaeus" show his eagerness for the milk of the Spirit, for the blood of Christ upon his soul, when he persistently calls out "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" despite those who "were scolding him to make him keep quiet"?...

O converter of peoples, called from the quiet of cloister walls you went obediently over seas to preach to the souls to whom you were sent, and the Lord worked through your obedience, spoke through the words you uttered to the nations… and so the light of holy faith banished the darkness of error and souls indeed were gathered into Christ's fold – pray, O shepherd, obedience shall be ours, too, an...

(1Pt.1:18-25; Ps.147:12-15,19-20; Mk.10:32-45) "The Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve – to give His life in ransom for the many." As Jesus and His apostles make their "way up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes," He tells them that these elders of the people "will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mo...